About this release
Published 25 May 2017
© Crown copyright 2017
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2017/about-this-release
Back to Immigration Statistics January to March 2017 content page.
The Immigration Statistics quarterly release gives an overview of work on immigration control, entry clearance, asylum and enforcement within the Home Office, including the work of UK Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration. It helps inform users including the government, Parliament, the media and the wider public, and supports the development and monitoring of policy.
The release includes the latest statistics on how many people come or plan to come to the UK based on admissions and visa data, including information on those coming for study work and family reasons as well as just to visit. Other topics covered are extensions of stay, settlement, citizenship, asylum, resettlement, returns (both enforced removals and voluntary departures) and detention under immigration powers. Detailed tables of figures provide data up to the first quarter of 2017 (January to March).
The Immigration Statistics release is a National Statistics output produced to the highest professional standards and free from political interference. It has been produced by statisticians working in the Migration and Borders Analysis Unit within the Home Office Analysis and Insight Directorate in accordance with the Home Office’s ‘Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics’ which covers our policy on revisions and other matters. The Chief Statistician, as Head of Profession, reports to the National Statistician with respect to all professional statistical matters and oversees all Home Office National Statistics products with respect to the Code, being responsible for their timing, content and methodology.
1. National Statistics
The UK Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (see Code of Practice for more details).
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed.
The Assessment Report (No. 177) and letter of confirmation as National Statistics can be viewed on the UK Statistics Authority website, Publications: Assessment Report.
2. Changes to the release
The information published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics is kept under review, taking into account the needs of users, and burdens on suppliers and producers, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Feedback on the changes detailed below, and proposals for future changes, are welcome. If you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please contact the team via email using: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.
2.1 Revisions to data
Within the Returns statistics there have been revisions relating to the category ‘other verified returns’. Retrospective checks mean that figures for voluntary returns are subject to upward revision. This is particularly for ‘other verified returns’ that are generated as a result of detailed retrospective data-matching, but some more limited revision is needed for ‘controlled returns’ to allow time for recording notifications from those who have departed. In light of this, the return figures have been revised. Voluntary returns (excluding returns from detention) for the fourth quarter of 2016 have been revised upwards from 4,777 to 6,066 (+27%) as well as a 13% rise in the third quarter (5,832 to 6,575). Enforced returns for the third and fourth quarter of 2016 have been revised upwards by 3% respectively.
In addition, for statistics relating to the financial year 2016/17 (from 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017), other verified returns include non-visa nationals matched against records with no valid leave in the UK to establish as a proxy those leaving the UK without informing the immigration authorities. These returns have been included as part of a one-off data matching exercise.
2.2 Consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) ran a consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs that closed on 23 December 2016. Although ONS published the consultation, it included questions on presentation of statistics from other government departments (Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs) that contribute to the ONS Migration Statistics Quarterly Report or that are published as separate National Statistics relating to migration.
The purpose of this consultation was to gather insight and seek views on the presentation and timing of the government’s international migration statistics outputs and, specifically, what products are used, why and what other data could be published. ONS published a summary of responses to the ‘Consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs’ on 17 March 2017. The summary can be accessed from the following link: ‘Consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs’.
The Home Office Migration Statistics team have reviewed responses to this consultation and have started to implement changes based on the feedback received. The first change is to introduce a shorter quarterly overview of emerging trends, complemented by a detailed commentary once a year. These changes relate only to the commentary accompanying the release. The consultation did not propose any reduction in the content of the underlying data which continues to be published in the usual way.
If you have any feedback on these changes, please email: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.
3. Future changes
3.1 Landing cards
As plans progress for implementing digital services at the border, the future of landing cards is being considered. The likely withdrawal of landing cards at some point will involve looking at data from the new systems to see if it can be developed to provide replacement information that is both as comparable as possible and which minimises any gaps in the time series. Currently Admissions tables ad_01 to ad_03_o draw heavily on landing cards data.
4. Migration Statistics User Forum
The Migration Statistics User Forum has been established for discussion of international migration statistics, allowing users to discuss their need for and use of the data and for producers to consult on presentation and changes. The main focus is on figures for the UK, but this would not exclude discussion of migration statistics for other countries. Home Office Analysis and Insight intends to use this list for communication with users, including data and release developments. The Forum is a user-led group with over 200 members, and has now been affiliated to the Royal Statistical Society.
Copies of the presentations made at the last annual conference of the Forum, held on 21 September 2016, are available at Migration Statistics User Forum Conference 2016.
The next conference of the Migration Statistics User Forum is on 27 September 2017. Details will be sent to members of the Forum via the distribution list closer to the date. The distribution list is available to join through the MIGRATION-STATS JISCmail list.
5. Further information and feedback
We welcome feedback on Immigration Statistics. If you have any comments, suggestions, enquiries or need assistance in accessing the data, please email them to: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.
Or write to:
The Editor, Immigration Statistics
Migration Statistics
14th Floor Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY
Press enquiries should be made to:
Home Office Press Office
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Tel: 020 7035 3535
The Home Office Responsible Statistician is Chris Kershaw. The Home Office Migration Statistics mission statement is:
We produce timely, accurate and objective statistics on immigration to support effective delivery of Home Office objectives and to inform government, Parliament and the public.